The Seduction of Evil
by Vena-Mala
Summary: Vlad's world is tumbling down around him: Erin's gone (for good); his Peace Plan has failed; his entire species are ridiculing him. Perfect time for the arrival of a newbie, right? The Count seems to think so, bringing in the unusual - but undoubtedly evil - Caedia Malum, to replace Adze as his new fiancée. At least Malik's enjoying the new presence... a little too much, perhaps.
1. Chapter 1 - Promises

**Chapter One – ****Promises**

'You can't just sit around doing nothing! We have to at least _try_ to continue the Peace Pact!' Vlad yelled determinedly, but letting his nerves show through.

Ingrid Dracula laughed and took another swig of The Duke of York, 1788. 'The slayers have given up on your stupid plans, Vladdy. They never worked; look at Erin and Malik. Your so–called girlfriend and your brother biting breathers? They were never going to stand for that.'

'I agree – for once – with your sister. It was obvious from the beginning that this foolish plan of yours would never work; this latest slaying is just proof of that.'

Vlad momentarily disappeared, only to reappear once more just inches from his father's face. 'What slaying?' He demanded.

The Count frowned, and looked to Ingrid, who replied, 'It's all over the papers – haven't you read the latest copy of Biters Weekly?'

Vlad stepped backwards, so that both his father and sister were in his line of sight. 'Who was it? Who did they slay?'

Rather than outright answering him – perhaps because she knew how he would react, and that he wouldn't believe her – Ingrid thrust a copy of the aforementioned newspaper into her brother's hands. Vlad sank into a chair, his eyes scanning every word of the article in just a few seconds. 'No,' was all he could manage at first. 'No, no, no, no, no,' he whispered. Looking up, he continued, 'This is a joke, right? They're lying? This can't be true ... she can't be–' He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

The Count nodded mock–sympathetically. ''Fraid so, Vladimir. Staked in Madrid, I hear, after going on a rampage through the city with your good–for–nothing brother.'

'Her dust was found yesterday, in the morning.'

Vlad's eyes widened. He stared up at his sister with a look of utter desperation etched across his face. 'Are they sure it was her? Not just another vampire? How about Mal–'

'Sorry, little bro, it was definitely her.' The voice came from behind Vlad and it was scarily spun round on the spot and glared at his eldest sibling, his nostrils flaring in anger. Malik smirked. 'Did you miss me?'

'You! You let her die – you let her be _slayed_! How could you!'

'Woah, easy there Vladdy,' Malik laughed as Vlad tried to throw himself at the elder boy, only to find his arms being pinned back by Ingrid and his father. Neither of them looked particularly pleased to see Malik, but they were much better at controlling their emotions than Vladimir. 'Besides, don't blame me. Blame your precious friend Jonno – he was the one wielding the weapon, not me.' Vlad frowned. It seemed an unlikely story. 'Anyway, you should be grateful – she was tedious. This way, you don't have to even pretend to like her.'

Vlad snarled back, 'I wasn't pretending!' Pushing Ingrid and The Count away, he turned back and sighed. He was lost in thought for a moment or two, before hissing back, 'And don't you dare go lying about Jonno like that!'

Ingrid held the paper up solemnly, pointing to a small image in the bottom right–hand corner, which clearly depicted a man that looked worryingly similar to Jonno, holding up a stake. 'He's not lying, Vlad.'

Vlad stared, not blinking, at the paper for a good few minutes. Malik rolled his eyes. 'Should I just assume my old room then, or...?'

Vlad glared at him, then looked over to his father who looked somewhat sheepish, then back at Malik, until finally his eyes rested on his father once more. 'He is _not_ staying here!' To Malik, he yelled, 'Didn't I make it clear enough last time that if I saw you again I would dust you?'

Malik grinned. 'And yet, here I am – still undusted. That speaks volumes about your "promises".'

The Count smirked. 'Besides, I told him he could stay here – he's got nowhere else to go. He's your brother, Vladimir. Your own flesh and blood.' Sensing that this wasn't really changing Vlad's mind, he continued, 'And while you're both in my house, you live by _my_ rules – Chosen One or not. I say he stays, so he stays.'

Malik smiled down at Vlad. 'Don't worry Vladdy, I'll be as good as gold.' He laughed, then disappeared off to his room. Ingrid vanished too, no doubt bored of the conversation thus far and not particularly looking forward to whatever was to come.

Vlad stood and turned, about to leave as well, when his father interrupted with, 'Not just yet.' Vlad stopped in his tracks. 'I've been thinking: since that awful Erin has gone for good now, and Adze too–' Vlad turned to stare at his dad, not liking where this is going. 'You need another BloodBride.'

Vlad sighed and shook his head. 'Why? Why on _Earth_ would you think that?'

The Count waved away his son's worries, informing him, 'Don't worry; I won't push you into it like I did last time. And besides, I think you're going to like this girl.'

Out of the corner of Vlad's eye, just behind his father, a lamp quickly flickered on, then off again. Tiny sparks shot out from plain air and the hairs on Vlad's neck stood on end. In the blink of an eye, the once–empty space in the corner of the room contained a girl. Undoubtedly more beautiful than Adze, and far more striking than Erin, the girl had long, flowing ebony hair and skin paler than any he had seen before. Her eyes were a deep emerald green and she wore a dress of pure, purple silk that swirled around her feet. Vlad was confused. A girl like this ... wanting to marry him? He still hadn't quite got used to the status that came with the whole 'Chosen One' thing, but still... This seemed utterly impossible. Count Dracula smiled at his son's breathlessness in the face of this stunning creature.

She took the few steps required to be in line with The Count, then bowed before Vlad. Vlad frowned. 'Er...rise?'

The girl did so, but laughed at Vlad's obvious insecurity. The Count chortled slightly too. 'This, my dear boy, is Caedia Malum – granddaughter of the late Grand High Vampire, orphan under the guardianship of the High Council. A perfect choice, don't you agree?'All of the moisture had gone from Vlad's mouth, he found himself utterly speechless. The Count clapped his hands together with glee, 'Yes, I see that you two will make a perfect item! I'll leave you alone, shall I?' With that, he vanished without a trace.

The girl sighed once The Count had gone, rubbing her eyes of sleep and shrugging off her jacket. Gracefully, she stepped out of her dress – to which Vlad widened his eyes but was unable to look away. Fortunately for her modesty, Caedia was fully dressed underneath, though Vlad couldn't help but sense that she would have been equally confident had she been naked but for her dress. 'Ugh,' she said, stretching her arms and wrinkling up the t–shirt that she was now wearing. 'I hate that fucking dress. Don't you think it's positively hideous?' Vlad didn't, but decided not to say so. 'Quiet, aren't you? For bats sake don't be like that all the time, please. I could do without another boring–as–fuck–and–dumb–to–boot guy slathering all over me.'

'No, right, yeah, sorry, I ...uh–' Vlad stumbled over his words.

The girl simply laughed. 'Don't worry, I heard about Blondie being slayed, so I'll just pretend that's the reason for your inability to speak, shall I?'

'Uh...'

More laughter. Caedia began to wander around the room, her hands stroking ancient ornaments and brushing against furniture forged long before her own birth. As she touched the items in the room, each seemed to preen and come to life before her hands. The whole room, while still being dark and old as ever, suddenly took on a new lease of life. Vlad was astounded by the peculiarity of it all. Caedia circled the room once and was just beginning to move around again, when Vlad felt someone's breath against his neck.

'Mm,' Malik whispered, licking his lips audibly. 'Who is _that_?'

Somehow hearing his quiet speech from the other side of the room, Caedia appeared before Malik and smiled. 'My name's Caedia,' she smiled politely. 'Who the fuck are you?'

Malik grinned at her sickly–sweet smile juxtaposed against her confident profanities and replied, 'Malik Dracula. Eldest son of Count Dracula, brother to this little weasel,' he nodded in Vlad's general direction.

'That's interesting,' Caedia replied, not sounding interested at all. 'Neither of them mentioned you.'

'He's not important,' Vlad explained, showing her out of the room. 'I'll take you to your quarters, shall I?' Caedia waved an all–too–innocent goodbye to Malik, before allowing herself to be directed out of his way. Malik was still smirking at the disappearing girl. Vlad glared at him. 'If you try _anything_, Malik, I swear to Lucifer that I _will_ dust you.'

Malik chuckled to himself, 'Promises, promises.'


	2. Chapter 2 - Rules are for Breathers

**Chapter Two – ****Rules are for Breathers**

Caedia didn't have very many belongings – at least, not that she'd brought with her – so it hadn't taken her long to unpack and get herself settled. She definitely hadn't been given the best room in the house, but it had the basic necessities and for that she was grateful. The best part about it, of course, was the beautiful coffin that had been placed directly in the centre of the room. It was forged of the darkest mahogany, giving it a delectable scent, with intricate engravings from years gone by on each side. She found herself absently stroking it, running her fingers across the indents and feeling their depth under her skin, when Ingrid walked in.

'You don't really want to marry _Vlad_, do you?

Caedia laughed and, without bothering to turn and look at the girl, replied, 'Hello to you too, Ingrid.'

Ingrid scoffed and transported herself across the room, directly in front of the new girl. 'Answer the question.'

Caedia shrugged and smiled, 'He's rich, powerful, handsome...' She trailed off. 'No, of course I don't.'

'Then why are you going to?'

'Because I don't exactly have a choice now, do I?' Ingrid frowned in confusion at this sentiment. 'I'm a _girl_.

At the mere notion that gender had anything to do with this, Ingrid shook her head. 'What does that matter? Don't you believe in Vampiress Liberation?'

Caedia couldn't help but laugh. 'I think you were the only one who ever did, Ingrid.'

The elder girl frowned once more and began absent mindedly nibbling on the inside of her lip. 'Well,' she began, unsure how to phrase this next thought. 'Don't lead Vlad on. He may be pathetic but ... he's my brother. He's vulnerable right now – what with Erin's death and all – don't hurt him.' She sighed, hating herself for voicing these feelings that she had, until now, managed to suppress, to a complete stranger. Yet she felt compelled to spill all to this newbie. 'He's my brother,' she repeated solemnly.

'But you have another one,' Caedia replied, subtly changing the course of the conversation to suit her own interests.

'Malik? Yeah, right. And I care about him just as much as a lion cares about a gazelle; Not. At. All.' She was over–emphasising the point and she knew it but, again, she just couldn't seem to help herself.

Caedia smirked. 'Funny that. Since, technically, the lion _needs_ the gazelle.'

Ingrid clenched her jaw. 'I do not need Malik. No one does. He's an over–confident, bigoted, egotistical parasite.'

'And yet your father let him wander back in here, without even so much as an apology... doesn't that bug you, Ingrid? Doesn't it really grind your gears? Doesn't it make you want to... I don't know, stake him?' Caedia smirked.

'No. It makes me want to bite a breather,' Ingrid retorted. With that, and a single swing of her cape, she had vanished into the ever–approaching night.

Caedia's grin widened. 'To each your own, I suppose.'

That night was dull. Nobody else came looking in on Caedia, and she had no desire to go wandering anywhere. She climbed into her coffin at just ten o'clock, and slept right through until the morning.

The next day, Caedia went wandering around the school. She had been given strong words from Vlad not to go biting the breather students, but besides that she was had almost free reign over the place. There were still a few ferrals lurking around their old classroom, but nobody seemed too bothered about teaching them any more. They were rather dull, Caedia felt, but made for good hunting practice; competing against them with almost any of her skills boosted her self-esteem no end. The entire Dracula clan was nowhere to be seen around the school buildings, but Caedia didn't mind too much.

Around lunchtime, her stomach began groaning: hunger. She wandered back to the basement, which Vlad had shown her earlier that morning, to find nobody around. There were chairs lying on the floor and tables turned over; someone had had fun last night. Deciding that since no one was there, no one could tell her off, she leant over the bar and poured herself something strong and bitter. She drank it down in a single gulp, the aching in her stomach immediately subsiding.

For the rest of the day, she lounged around by the bar, gazing into nothingness and grabbing herself a drink whenever she felt like it. Strangely, despite her isolation, this was utter bliss.

Later on, Caedia wandered into the dining hall, where she found both of the Dracula sons; Vlad was looking frantic, pacing up and down the walls; Malik looked like he couldn't care less as he leafed through a copy of Bat Bite.

'Hello boys,' Caedia purred.

Malik grinned. Vlad stopped pacing immediately and glared at him, to which the elder boy simply shrugged innocently. 'You got any plans for tonight, Caedia?' Vlad enquired, still giving Malik a warning look.

Caedia shrugged. 'I was thinking I might...head into town...see what happens... Perhaps I'll get acquainted with the, uh, locals.' She caught Malik's eye and winked at him.

Vlad, all too unaware of this exchange, nodded – though his mind appeared to be elsewhere. 'Right, right. Well, have fun. Sorry I can't join you but I have to ...' He trailed off momentarily, before giving up on that tack entirely and continuing with, 'Don't forget about the ceasefire. No biting.' His gaze flickered between Malik and Caedia. 'Either of you.' Then he transported himself to his room, no doubt to continue pondering the ceasefire – all the while wondering just how long it would actually last.

Once his brother was safely out of earshot, Malik stood up and walked so that he was just in front of Caedia. He smiled, but her mind seemed to have wandered away from him.

'Is he serious? No biting?' She rolled her eyes. 'I'd heard about his stupid plans, o'course, but nobody back in Transylvania was bothered with them. I can't spend the rest of my undead life blood–free!'

Malik laughed. 'God, I miss the old country... Don't worry, Vlad's all talk and no bite – literally. It's pretty easy to slip past him, especially now when he's all too preoccupied with that bloody Erin.'

Caedia's eyes focused back on the attractive young man before her. 'You know, I'm pretty hungry right now, and I haven't got anything better to do...'

Malik licked his lips and together they disappeared from Garside Grange within the blink of an eye.

'What are we doing here?' Caedia hissed, suddenly doubtful of Malik's hunting abilities. 'We're in the middle of London. Sure, the breathers smell great, but we can't drain them all at once! And somebody will see us!'

Malik rolled his eyes. 'Thank you, Captain Obvious. That's why we're not going to hunt here, in the centre of the city. Follow me.'

Reluctantly, Caedia did so. She followed him down street after street until her feet ached. 'You know, I'm really starting to not trust you..'

'You've been in this city less than a day. I, my dear, have been here for several months. Several months of drinking breathers in London's backstreets – without Vlad, or anyone else, having the faintest idea. If I were you, I think I'd have a lot of faith in me.'

Caedia raised a single eyebrow, but carried on walking. After what felt like hours, Malik stopped abruptly. Caedia walked into the back of him, blinked, and looked up. Malik rolled his eyes. 'There,' he said. 'Perfect spot, with a–' he sniffed the air, 'Perfect meal.'

'Mine,' Caedia retorted, stepping past Malik towards the blonde walking down the alleyway in front of them. She appeared younger than even Caedia's meagre sixteen years. Her pungent naïvety flowered the air before them.

Caedia had travelled no more than a metre when Malik grabbed on to her arm and turned her around to face him once more. 'Wait. Do you have any sort of a plan of how you're going to go about this?'

Caedia shrugged and pulled a face. 'I was thinking I just sort of walk down there, show my fangs to frighten her a bit, then bite?'

Malik shook his head. 'Look at her, a female teenager... she's undoubtedly read Twilight!' Caedia stared at him, clueless. Malik sighed, 'Breathers in England aren't afraid of vampires any more – especially not since bitings have been so few and far between, thanks to Vlad.'

'Fine, then I'll hypnotise her.' Malik shook his head. 'What then, genius? What's your plan?' Malik smirked and whispered something in Caedia's ear, to which she could not help but allow the slightest hint of a smile creep across her face. 'Okay, maybe you're not _that_ bad at hunting after all.'


	3. Chapter 3 - Bloodlust

**Chapter Three – ****Bloodlust**

Caedia teleported to the end of the alley way, in the direction that the girl was heading. From this vantage point, she could see every inch of the girl before her; sporting headphones, so clearly clueless to her surrounding; wearing a thin t–shirt with a low–cut collar, so perfect access to the neck; she looked pretty ditzy, so easy to trick. Caedia grinned. From where she was stood, she could also see Malik very well, at the opposite end of the alley, slowly stalking towards their victim.

When he was just a few metres behind the girl, Caedia ran forward and screamed, 'Stop! Look behind you!' It took the girl a moment or two to realise that Caedia had been talking to her, then she frowned. Her eyes widened so that Caedia could see the whites all the way around her irises. 'Look behind you!' Caedia repeated. This time, the girl heard her perfectly and did as she was told.

When she turned, she was confronted with Malik, who had pulled the hood up on his hoodie and was now making rather disturbing snarling sounds. Caedia wanted to laugh, but managed to suppress it. She transported to the girl's side, holding onto both of her arms – making the girl feel secure, perhaps, but also preventing her from fighting back.

'Don't worry,' Caedia whispered. She moved her head closer into the girl's neck. 'He can't hurt you with me here. He won't hurt you.' She could hear the girl's heart beating double time, her breathing rapid and pained. Malik raised his eyebrows at Caedia – menacing to the girl, but the sign for Caedia to 'go'. Caedia didn't bother wasting any time. 'But I might,' she hissed directly into the girl's ear. The girl barely even had time to think; for her fight–or–flight instinct to kick in. Caedia had already sunk her fangs into the skin, piercing it straight through. Malik grinned. Blood began oozing out of the girl's neck, as Caedia's fangs cut the vein. She drank in the blood, revelling in the taste of youth and innocence and pain. The girl began to scream out but, quick as a flash, Caedia clamped her hand over her nose and mouth.

'Careful,' Malik called out to her. 'You don't want to suffocate her before you've had your fill.' Caedia glanced up momentarily, frowning but doing as he suggested; she moved her hand slightly so that only the girl's mouth was covered and she could still breathe through her nose.

After a few minutes of drinking – with Malik practically salivating at the sight – Caedia pulled herself away. She removed her fangs and unclasped her hand. As soon as she let her go, the girl fell to the ground. Her skin was pale as snow and her entire form was lifeless.

'My turn,' Malik smiled. Caedia rolled her eyes but began to walk towards him. 'Er, you might want to clear that up first?' He suggested, nodding towards the emptied body behind them.

Caedia raised a single eyebrow. 'Do I look like a cleaning peasant to you?'

Malik shrugged. 'No, but if you leave her hear than Vlad will find out – and you know he'll make Renfield run some stupid tests, and he'll find out it was you.'

'So? Let him find out.'

Malik sighed. 'But he'll guess I was involved too.'

'Oh, are you scared of little Vladdy? Big, mean Malik's scared of his wee little brother?' Caedia teased.

Malik clenched his jaw. 'No.' He sighed. 'Let's go.'

It didn't take long to find another, isolated alleyway; once you started looking, London was full of them. Particularly at this time of night. Again, a young girl strode down the centre, unusually confident in herself considering she was all alone late at night. Malik would soon knock that out of here. She was around twenty-something, with long brown hair flowing beyond her shoulders. 'Just my type,' Malik thought to himself. Weak. Vulnerable. Naive. Malik licked his lips.

'Got another unnecessarily complicated plan for this one?' Caedia smirked up at him.

He raised his eyebrows, 'You enjoyed it. You love playing with your food.'

'You act like you know me.'

'I can read you. You're an open book, Miss Malum. You might wanna work on that.'

Caedia scoffed. 'I'll make a note, shall I?'

Malik shook his head at her sarcasm. 'I'm going to go this one alone, thanks. You're a liability.'

Caedia raised her brows but said nothing; she simply watched in silence as Malik disappeared, then reappeared, leaning against the wall further down the alleyway, just in front of the girl. She didn't notice him until he was just a few metres away from her, at which point he stepped forward, blocking her path.

He smirked. 'What are you doing round here, then? Pretty young thing like you out late at night – bit dangerous, isn't it? Aren't you scared?'

The girl laughed at the notion. 'Of losers like you? Not likely.'

Malik bridged the few metres between them, so that he was just a couple of inches away from her face. Still, she didn't appear alarmed. He smirked. 'I like you, you're clever. Brave. Strong-willed. I like that in a woman.'

The girl allowed a small smile to seep onto her face. She breathed in deeply, as Malik leant forwards and planted a small peck on the corner of her mouth. Waiting for her to moan her appreciation and consent – which she did with great speed and frequency – he began to kiss his way down her face and along her neck, until he reached her main artery. Suddenly, the girl froze; her eyes were wide and her eyebrows twisted in confusion. 'Who's that?' She hissed at Malik.

He didn't even turn around; he didn't need to. Caedia spared just a moment to grin, before appearing just inches from the girl's side, where Malik was preparing to bite. 'Your worst nightmare,' she laughed. Then, looking down at Malik baring his fangs, she added, 'Well, your second worst at least.'

Taking his cue, Malik sank his teeth into the girl and drained her dry in just a few minutes. She gasped as his fangs broke the skin, then said no more as her life force was pulled away from before her – some scream, some have no energy to do such things. Malik pulled away at the exact moment that she had been emptied, and let her fall with a thud to the cold hard ground below, then glanced over at Caedia.

She stepped closer to him – so close that their breath warmed each other's faces – and smiled. Noticing a small dribble of blood at the corner of his mouth, she lifted her forefinger to wipe it off, then licked it away. 'O Positive,' she said.

'My favourite,' he replied.

And, within the blink of an eye, they had vanished into the night.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Peace Problem

**Chapter Four - The Peace Problem**

Malik and Caedia arrived back at Garside Grange late into the night, giddy with the still-lingering taste of fresh blood. Stumbling through the dining hall and down the corridor to their respective bedrooms, they tried - and failed - to stay quiet, as the rest of the house was silent. But, without their knowledge, their mere presence had awoken one person: Vlad. He watched them from his end of the corridor, eyes narrowed in confusion and anger. He had never trusted Malik, this latest expedition just showed him that he was entirely untrustworthy.

Only after they had both shut their doors - locking themselves away quite separately - and Vlad had waited an additional half an hour to ensure nothing else happened, did he finally let himself go to bed.

With morning came the awakening sun, and Caedia - much to her own disgust, for things as meagre as the sunlight had never dictated her sleeping patterns back in Transylvania - arose too. Traipsing across the corridor and into the dining hall, she found the entire Dracula clan sat in various positions around the room. All of them sat in an awkward silence. Nobody even looked up when Caedia walked in.

She coughed. Loudly. A single pair of eyes glanced up at her. Malik winked, to which Caedia did not react. 'Anybody home?' She called out to the rest of the family. Vlad sighed, before standing up and walking out of the hall, slamming the door behind himself. Caedia frowned. 'Bit of an over-reaction.'

Ingrid rolled her eyes. 'He's pissed off because the High Council are planning to overturn the Ceasefire and go back to normal. Just ignore him.'

Caedia's eyes shone with sudden interest. 'Does that mean breathers are back on the menu?'

Malik laughed in response. 'Were they ever off?'

Caedia smirked, but the Count was not laughing. 'Unfortunately, for now, we're still on blood bags. If I catch you-' He nodded at Malik, 'Going anywhere near a breather I'll...' he sighed, 'dust you.'

Malik turned up his nose, but Caedia had a gleam in her eye. 'What about me? What if I get caught biting?'

The Count frowned, hesitated, and blinked several times before replying with, 'I think I'll leave you to Vladimir.'

Caedia smirked. 'I'll be getting off scot-free, then.'

The Count pursed his lips and looked as though he was going to say something else, but he apparently thought better of it. He turned up his nose - in almost exactly the same way that Malik had, just moments previously - then disappeared before their very eyes. Ingrid rolled her eyes, but quickly followed suit and vanished too.

Suddenly, Malik and Caedia found themselves very much alone - just as they had several hours earlier. Caedia practically fell down onto the sofa next to Malik, and leant slightly into his outstretched arm. He smiled. 'So, last night was fun.' She nodded in response. 'Wanna do it again sometime?' Another nod. With his forefinger, he tilted her head upwards so that she was looking directly at him - straight into his deep brown eyes. 'Tonight?'

Caedia merely smiled.

Vlad's bedroom door was flung wide open when Caedia walked past it. Taking a few steps back so that she was directly in front of his door and leaning to look inside, she smirked when she saw him pacing around his bedroom.

'You look...' she paused, hunting her brain for the word, 'Forlorn. Frantic. Confused. All of the above.' He ignored her. 'Maybe I could help?' He turned to look at her, frowning. 'I lived inside the High Council for three years, Vlad. I think I might just be able to help you a little more than you might expect. And I know you don't like to admit it, but you really do need help.'

Vlad sighed, ran his fingers through his already messy hair, and shrugged. Caedia took this as approval of her entry, and stepped inside. She perched beside him atop the closed lid of the coffin that took pride of place in the centre of the room. Neither of them said anything for a while. Quietly, she shuffled closer to him and linked her fingers through his. He stared down at their hands, frowning.

'Why are you doing this, Vlad?' He looked up at her, still frowning. 'You act like you want this so bad, but can you even explain why?'

'You're asking me why I want world peace?'

'No. I'm asking you why you're so determined to change the actions of your entire species to save the lives of a tiny few. A tiny few who are entirely unaware of our existence; who are more often than not forgotten quickly and wholly unmissed by all; who give nothing to their own species, but could potentially provide sustenance for the entirety of ours.'

'You seem quite passionate about this.'

'And you seem like an idiot for ever thinking that this plan would work. Soy blood isn't healthy for us; it's not the way we're supposed to live.'

Vlad sighed, shaking his head. 'But the way we're "supposed" to live is unsustainable and disgusting.'

Caedia rolled her eyes. 'Whatever. The Council's finally seen sense and they won't change their minds now. It's you against the rest of vampirekind, Vlad. You might as well jump the sinking ship now, while you have the chance.'

Vlad pulled his hand out of hers suddenly, as though he had only just remembered it was there. How could he explain to this girl - this mysterious, beautiful girl whom he knew nothing about but wanted to trust so desperately - that the rest of vampirekind hardly mattered to him anymore. Erin had only served to prove the destruction that vampires could cause to breathers, he didn't want the peril of seven billion others laying on his shoulders too.

'Vlad,' Caedia sighed. 'Don't think of it so much as giving up, just changing tactic.'

Vlad frowned in confusion, but the girl had disappeared before he could question her further.

'Are you not worried about your brother?'

Ingrid rolled her eyes. Caedia was, slowly but surely, getting on her nerves. 'Which one?' She asked, putting down the nail varnish she had been using and turning to face her fellow female.

Caedia stiffled a giggle and replied, 'Vlad. Malik's fine - for a vampire, at least.'

Ingrid chose to ignore that last remark and shrugged. The things deemed "wrong" with Vlad by vampire society could fill an entire seven-book series, but she didn't want to go into that with this utter stranger. There was something about Caedia - an air of mystery, tinged with hatred and betrayal - that made her not want to go spilling family secrets, even if they might bring about the demise of her annoyingly persistent little brother. 'I don't worry about - I gave up that a long time ago. Besides, there's nothing wrong with him, per-say, he just thinks a little differently to others.'

Caedia laughed out loud at that. 'A little? Ingrid, your brother believes in the exact opposite of what a vampire should. Hell, if it wasn't for the fangs I'd say he's not a vampire at all. Has he ever even bitten a breather?'

Ingrid gritted her teeth. This girl was going too far now. 'Yes, actually, he has.'

Caedia raised her eyebrow momentarily, then thought for a moment and relaxed it once more. 'Oh, right. The blonde bitch. Bet she tasted gross.'

Ingrid breathed heavily through her nose, her nostrils flaring. Under her breath, she muttered, 'I bet you would too if you were on the brink of death.'

Unfortunately for the elder girl, Caedia had exceptionally good hearing. She smirked. 'I'm always dancing on the brink of death, sweetie. That's how I became so much more powerful than you: I stared death in the face and spat on it.' And with that last remark, she vanished.

Ingrid glared at the space where Caedia had just been and hissed, 'No one calls the Princess of Darkness "sweetie" and gets away with it.'

As the sun began to set over the empty school building, Malik knocked gently on Caedia's slightly ajar bedroom door.

Seeing her lying in short black dress and fluffy grey boots in her coffin, leafing through a copy of Bat Bite, he couldn't help but smile. Her gaze drifted towards him over the top of her magazine, and she smiled too. 'You ready?' He asked. Her smile widened, as they flew off into the night for a midnight snack.


End file.
